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Government has begun recruitment of graduate teachers for Senior High Schools ahead of the rolling out of its controversial double track system under the free SHS programme. Over 8,000 new graduate teachers are to be recruited in the exercise to take care of the additional students to be admitted for the double track system that begins from September.
A statement issued by the Ghana Education Service on August 27 said applicants would be charged 5 cedis for the online recruitment exercise via www.gespromotions.gov.gh. “Only applicants who have completed their National Service wll be shortlisted to write a test to determine their suitability for the advertised positions,” the statement signed by the head of PR of GES, Cassandra Twum Ampofo said. Interested graduates have up to September 1 to put in their application. A total of 819 will be recruited for core mathematics, 276 for elective mathematics, 793 for English language, 606 for integrated science and 366 for social studies, the Daily Graphic reported. The GES said it reserves the right to post those to be recruited to places where their services will be required. Meanwhile, GES has said there are “limited vacancies for cooks and other non-teaching staff categories” for specific schools. The process for such categories, the GES said, would be announced in due course. In June Deputy Education Minister Dr. Yaw Osei Edutwum rejected claims that the introduction of the double track system will bring additional cost to the government through the recruitment of the new teachers. Government in the 2018 mid-year budget review assured that provisions have been made for the programme for the first term of the 2018/2019 academic year. “People talk about additional cost from teachers, no. We hire them with their regular calendar because if you bring in more students you have to bring in more teachers. We are hiring more teachers because of increased enrolment,” he said on TV3 New Day on June 29. The new double track system creates a calendar for two semesters in a year for SHS 1 class containing 81 days per semester and 41 days of vacation for a sandwhich class. Government has explained the new system will create room to accommodate increased enrollment expected in the 2018/2019 academic year under the Free SHS as well as reduce class sizes among others. The system, according to the government, will run in category A and B public schools. Of the 968 public senior high schools, the Education Minister on August 7 said only 400 have been earmarked for the semester-based system. A total of 472,000 new students, representing an increase of some 31%, are to be admitted into the various Senior High Schools across the country. Despite criticism of the system by various stakeholders, the government said it is unfazed and will go ahead with its implementation. By Stephen Kwabena Effah|3news.com|Ghana]]>